Ask Me a Question: Only the Strong w/Sheldon Lettich

After a few minutes of walking around the surprisingly bustling 6th Street on a Sunday night, we wolfed down some hot dogs on the corner then headed back in for Only the Strong. A local Capoeira group had learned of the screening and came down to give a live demonstration. This was Sheldon's personal print he purchased from the lab so I'm not sure if it's ever even been run for an audience. Trailers for the amazing looking dance/street fighting Rooftops and coming of age drama Stand By Me preceded.

Only the Strong starts off in Brazil where we meet Green Beret Louis Stevens (Mark Dacascos) ending his assignment and mixing it up with the locals for some dance and gymnastics based Capoeira. Cut to Miami, Florida where Louis visits his old high school which is now covered in graffiti, plagued by gangs, drugs and has bars in the stairwells so kids don't throw their peers off. You see, Louis used to be a bit of a lost cause as well but gruff teacher Mr. Kerrigan (Geoffrey Lewis) inspired him to do more in life leading to a four year stint in the Army. But now even Mr. Kerrigan has all but given up on the kids and school that has a 14% graduation rate. Pissed off and saddened by Kerrigan's apathy, Louis ends up intervening when a local drug dealer publicly embarrasses his little brother for not selling enough product. Louis then whups his and several other gang members asses using his Capoeira skills and stylin' white high tops. The violent incident grabs the attention of the entire student body and gives Kerrigan the crazy idea of rehabilitating the school's 12 worst students...through fighting. Setting up in an old firehouse, Louis begins teaching the troubled youngsters Capoeira as a challenge to their manhood and futures. But having the kids in this alternative after school program means less time on the streets selling drugs and chopping cars which pisses off local warlord and Capoeria expert Silverio (Paco Christian Prieto). Of course the kids bond, grow and stick up for each other before supporting Louis in a final showdown with the menacing martial arts maestro Silverio.

For a film as simple yet ridiculous as Only the Strong, it still plays quite well. The action is the main attraction of course and fights are filled with impressive looking handstand kicks, flips, cart wheels and dance infused fisticuffs. While the concept would be cheesy and totally unbelievable in lesser hands, Lettich and co-writer Luis Esteban give the story a straight ahead earnestness that doesn't have you questioning the questionable actions of making a high school mash up of The Dirty Dozen, Stand and Deliver and a karate movie. Young Mark Dacascos infuses his role as Louis with nice guy honesty while being super yoked and able to jump, flip and kick the shit out of everything and everyone. Besides Silverio, he actually gets thrashed pretty bad in their first encounter to set up their end fight. Mark D's nimble athleticism is truly impressive and it's a shame he didn't go on to have a bigger career. Edward J. Pei's cinematography highlights sunny beaches and the shitty high school equally well to give the film a very slick feel. Watching it again, I was really impressed by the fight scene in a chop shop later in the film after one of Louis' students is killed. Putting on his Army fatigues, the teacher is out for revenge. It's brutal and kick ass with lots of heads and bodies smashing windshields and into cars.

Greg and Sheldon took the stage one more time for Q&A:

- Prolific France based distributor and producer Samuel Hadida had released Lionheart overseas and wanted another martial arts vehicle, this time based on the exotic Capoeira.
- Sheldon and company worked hard to highlight the art while putting it's flashy moves into more realistic street fights as it wasn't as obvious a transition as typical karate or boxing.
- Filmed in actual closed down high school that had bars in stairwells.
- Mark Dacascos worked with a Capoeira trainer for months and through the shoot.
- Dacascos is a talented martial artist and gymnast but Van Damme is the real deal and a real badass.
- Mark is great with weapons while JCVD is horrible.
- Being the early 90's, Sheldon suggested Mark beef up for the role to take his place among the Van Damme, Arnold and Stallone set.
- Feels Mark has had a nice career but Only the Strong should have been bigger. Fox picked up distribution rights, liked what they saw and offered Dacascos a 3-picture deal.

- Imperial Entertainment, same company that made Lionheart, hired Mark D. for the video game adaptation of Double Dragon with a director known for commercials and it wasn't going well.
- Fox originally planned to have Sheldon and Mark do a 12 city junket to hype the film but Double Dragon's delays meant they could only do one in Miami.
- Fox lost interest, only had a few million invested in Strong and knew it would make it's money on video so didn't give theatrical release much of a push.
- Loved working with cinematographer Edward J. Pei, two were neighbors at the time but stars haven't aligned since with Sheldon working in Canada and Europe where a local crew member has preference.
- Costume Designer Pat Field would go on to work on Sex and the City series and films.
- Known for action, Sheldon just loves making movies and wouldn't mind a comedy or drama.
- Dog of war tale Max is coming, Warner Brothers has it set for an August release.
- Not a tough guy himself even though he served in the Marines and Vietnam but gets along with tough guys really well. Stallone, Van Damme, Dacascos, Seagal and Lundgren, everybody.
- Mark is the nicest guy in the world so didn't buy him as villain in Cradle 2 the Grave versus Jet Li.
- Dolph Lundgren is a really nice guy that you don't want to tick off.

And there you have it. A great night all around. Greg and the Alamo do a kick ass job while Sheldon keeps living the dream traveling the country and next the globe with his movies. As Jean-Claude Van Damme would say: "I see you ladder!"

Workout(s) of the Day: Traveling Man

Heading out to Middle America after 6 weeks of steady workouts, I figured on relaxing for a few days. It's always good to get out of the gym to let your body and mind rest and recuperate. Instead, I ended up working out in two states three days straight! Ah well...

Starting things off Sunday in Oklahoma at a very nice fitness center attached to a medical facility was a quick Upper Body workout since we were going to be sitting in a car for roughly 6 hours on the way to Austin. It's better to work out hard and fast versus plodding and overlong. Keeping rest to a minimum between sets turns sessions into weight training and cardio. Anytime you doubt that philosophy, just think of how muscular a sprinter is compared to a marathoner.  It might be more work to run a mile but your body works harder per minute to run a 100 yard dash, got it?

Pre-Lionheart roadtrip: Dumbbell Swing/Chins/Neck Press (bench but lower the bar to your neck with elbows wide)/Spider Curl/Pullover and Press/3-Part Larry Scott Lateral Raises/Low Decline DB Fly/Dive Bomber V Bar Triceps Extensions/1-Arm Preacher Curl. 9 exercises, 3 sets each followed by some jump roping and forearm work.

It was a late night at the Alamo Drafthouse Ritz as we didn't get back to our hotel until nearly 1:00AM. Throw in the road trip and half a dozen cocktails, we crashed hard then had to sweat it out the next morning at the Hilton's 24-Hour gym complete with separate rooms for cardio and weights. Luckily, seeing yoked and shredded Van Damme and Mark Dacascos helped motivate the morning session:

Goblet Squat/Leg Press/Leg Curl/Calf Raises/Front Squat on Smith Machine x 3

Legs pumped, I followed more jump roping with some abs and towel twists. When you don't have a pole to hold across your back, just grip a towel between your hands and pull apart. You'll work your shoulders and forearms along with trimming up your obliques. I tend to jump rope for 300 reps a set alternating footfalls every 50 skips. So feet together, running in place, high knees, alternating feet every 2-5 jumps, side to side, front to back, backwards, etc. When I want to kick it up, I just jump 50 reps as fast as I can then do 20 normal and repeat for that interval action.

We meant to stay in Austin an extra night to kick it but I'm not really one for sight seeing and we'd already slayed the beast (attended the films, hung out with Sheldon Lettich and company) so it was time to get the hell out of town. Returning to Oklahoma City, Tuesday morning's Shoulders and Arms consisted of:

DB Press/Preacher Curl/Lying DB Extension/Rear Delt Raise/Low Incline DB Curl/Standing 1-Arm Extension/Upright Row/Concentration Curl/Dive Bomber Rope Extensions x 3 followed by forearms, rowing machine and yet more jump rope!

Now that I'm home, I'm finally taking time off to focus on other things and let my mind and body get hungry for training again. See you Saturday!

Great use of the theme from Lionheart:

Ask Me a Question: Lionheart w/ Sheldon Lettich

Driving in Texas is rough. Only a two lane highway, lots of construction, accidents and cars on the side of the road. After a quick jaunt through the University of Texas campus glimpsing the huge stadium and Lyndon B. Johnson library, we arrived at our hotel in downtown. Only steps away from the bustling 6th street scene and the Alamo Drafthouse Ritz, we imbibed a few dranks before grabbing snacks at the Iron Cactus next door with some special guests. It was beautiful outside, warm and sunny but not too hot. Not too many people out but hey, it was an early Sunday evening. Tough Guy Cinema was taking over one of the two screens at the Ritz with Lionheart and Only the Strong while new releases Foxcatcher and Inherent Vice played on the other side. I've never been to an Alamo so it was a cool experience with Only the Strong and Lionheart posters on the wall, arcade games in the lobby and artwork everywhere. The seats are all behind a long table/counter where you jot down your order and a server whisks by and then drops off. We opted for liquid dinners and their whiskey gingers were delicious.

Tough Guy Cinema mastermind Greg took the stage and told us how as a youth, he and his brother would scarf down pizza and watch Jean-Claude Van Damme movies on Friday nights. After I met him in Los Angeles and made the introduction to Sheldon Lettich, the duo made it happen and we were about to watch Lionheart on the big screen. While Universal doesn't have a print, the Academy Archives does. Sheldon took the stage for a quick introduction and said he hadn't seen the film on the big screen in decades. Home video releases were all in the wrong format and he's off to Germany next month for a special edition blu-ray release event with co-star Harrison Page. In a nice touch, trailers for Bloodsport and Hard Target played before the feature.

Lionheart tells the tale of Lyon (Jean-Claude Van Damme), a French Foreign Legionnaire stationed in Djibouti, North Africa who goes  A.W.O.L. when he finds out his little brother has been set on fire in a drug deal gone wrong in Los Angeles. Hopping a steamer, Lyon ends up in New York with no money or contacts. Chancing upon a street fight organized by the street savvy and hilarious Joshua (Page), Lyon wins a bout and ends up with a wad of cash to help him get to L.A. Needing a little more scratch, Joshua takes him to meet Cynthia aka The Lady (Deborah Rennard) a rich chick who puts on street fights in the parking garage of her swank office building for shits and giggles. Now dubbed Lionheart, Lyon puts Cynthia's designated hitter away with a punch to the nuts and grabs an extra $5 grand. Landing in Los Angeles, Lyon is too late as his brother has died and left a poor widow and child to fend for themselves. Not seeing any other way to help his family, Lyon reluctantly agrees to hit the fighting circuit where he battles kilt wearing Scots in a garage, a mountain of muscle in a racquetball court and a high kicking dude with long hair in a half empty pool. With Legionnaire investigators hot on his trail, Lyon gets set for a big fight against a killer named Attila who's already bagged 8 bodies. High waist white washed jeans, 80's rock, butt shots, roundhouse kicks and Kentucky Fried Chicken awesomeness ensues.

The print looked great and the film still holds up as one of JCVD's more solid efforts. It has Van Damme's trademark martial arts action and buff but not too developed body along with a surprising amount of heart and emotion, an early sign of the Muscles from Brussels being more than just a high kicking brute. Harrison Page steals nearly every scene as the broken down fighter turned promoter looking out for Lyon while you can really see the effort on young Van Damme's part.

After the film, Sheldon and Greg took the stage for Q&A:

- The butt shot was Van Damme's idea after doing several clothed takes. Greg's mom would forever take him to see JCVD movies because of it.
- Original story came from JCVD, he and Sheldon would meet up at a coffee shop on Sunset to discuss. After an altercation between Van Damme and the head waiter, a Sheriff showed up to tell them to leave.
- Sheldon's first feature so didn't attempt any crazy shots or tricks. Producers would have vetoed anything too extravagant to save money anyhow.
- Harrison Page is Sheldon's neighbor and long time friend. Most of the dialog was on the page but Harrison would take it and run with it, making it his own.
- Film picked up by Jim Jacks and Universal who didn't like Cynthia's scenes and trimmed them down. One was after Lyon asks to leave hotel to live like a fighter and she has a fit while another is her visiting Lyon at the hospital, knowing he's injured and setting up the final fight.
- Original title was Wrong Bet, Van Damme's idea. Sheldon didn't love it but had a hard time coming up with a better name. Released worldwide as A.W.O.L., Full Contact and Wrong Bet. Lyonheart became Lionheart at Universal.
- The film was a hit in America and abroad. Sheldon and co-star Michel Qissi were in France where Lion opened up against a Seagal picture. On the first night, Lion was in the small house while Seagal was in the big room. By the next evening, the films swapped as demand for Lionheart was much higher than Seagal's film and could have been the roots of Seagal's dislike for Van Damme.

- Mentions of the proposed Demolition Man pairing of Seagal as the cop and Van Damme as the villain. Neither would lose to the other so they both dropped out and were replaced by Sylvester Stallone and Wesley Snipes who didn't mind losing to Rocky.
- Producers wanted to use synthesizers for the score to save money but upon seeing the film, put more cash in and used the Salt Lake City orchestra to give composer John Scott's work gravitas.
- Really tried to make it different than Van Damme's previous films which explains the lack of splits and a tournament or revenge plot. Making it more dramatic helped differentiate the film and is why it stands the test of time today. But their next film, Double Impact, went balls out with all the cliches.
- Costume Designer Joseph Porro went crazy with Cynthia's wardrobe with big hats, rhinestone jackets, etc since everyone else would be in drab sweats, jeans and suits. Went on to work on classics Double Impact, Universal Soldier, Tombstone, Independence Day and many more.
- Film shot for 39 days, mainly in Los Angeles and Las Vegas for the desert scenes.
- Lots of friends in the film, Lawrence Bender, Scott Spiegel, Kamel Krifa...

It was a great start to the evening with Greg's passion for the film shining through but still affording solid moderating and great stories from Sheldon. The lobby was hopping with fans and friends before Only the Strong as we popped out to roam the streets for a quick minute...